Jesus Christ: The perfect and eternal pleasing sacrifice

There will never be any sacrifice again for sin, which is so perfect and eternally pleasing than that offered by the Lord Jesus Christ, the righteous and accepted by all believers in Christ.

The Old Testament Law and the Levitical priesthood (with all of its sacrifices) were but a shadow of the “good things to come,” namely the New Covenant as inaugurated by the incarnation and sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus.

Hebrews 10:1, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”

The atonement for our sins made through the blood of Jesus is perfect, total and complete. The sacrifice that Jesus made with His life on the cross is effective and need no repetition.

The Levitical sacrifices of the blood of bulls and goats were made year after year, and this repetition was evidence of their ineffectiveness. If it were perfect and complete, then they would not have had to be offered over and over again.

One offering would have been sufficient. The offerer would have been cleansed of sin and likewise his conscience would have been cleansed. There should be no guilty conscience regarding sin, where the guilt and penalty of sin has been removed.

As though being ineffective was not bad enough, the Old Testament sacrifices also served as a reminder of past sins, as yet not removed.

For example, if you have a scar on your face as a result of car accident, you will always be reminded of the incident every time you look at your face through a mirror.

The scar can’t go away except removed completely. So, too, with the Old Testament sacrifices. Every time a sacrifice was offered (again) it is a reminder of the fact that sin had not been permanently removed. It is like you having a credit bank card yet you are still in debt.

The reason for the failure of the Old Testament sacrifices to remove sin is given in Hebrews 10:4: “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Animal blood is not a sufficient sacrifice for sins.

The only perfect and complete sacrifice was the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, Romans 10:5b-6, “…. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.”

Jesus came and abolished the Old Testament sacrifices and instituted the New Covenant which is the will of God, His Father, Hebrews 10:9, “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.”

Now, by the sacrifice of the Body of Jesus Christ, we are sanctified once and for all and there is no need for repetition just like in the Old Testament, Hebrews 10:10, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

There was no need again for the priest to stand daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. By one offering, He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Praise the Lord! What a perfect sacrifice and gift to the world.

Have you accepted this perfect and eternal pleasing sacrifice for your sin (the Lord Jesus whom we are celebrating His resurrection and victory)?

If you have not, please welcome Jesus into your life today, so that you can become a beneficiary of His resurrection. Jesus is risen from the dead and Has triumphed over sin, sickness, poverty and the power of hell.

Today’s Nugget: Jesus Christ is the only perfect and eternal pleasing sacrifice for sin.

Prayer: I accept this perfect gift of salvation into my life today in Jesus Name Amen.

Prayer line: Send text only to 09078154261.

E-mail: evangelgospel@yahoo.com

Dr. Chidi Okoroafor, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.